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Public School Cricket.

HE high and far-off times of Public School cricket began in 1858, when played Scotch T twice and Grammar School once. The first Public School match was played on the Geelong ground on 26th February, 1858, when Scotch beat Geelong Grammar by 14 runs. The scores were not very high, Scotch making 48 and 80, and 67 and 47. The chief contributor to the Scotch victory was Macpherson (afterwards Hon. James Macpherson, M.L.C.), who made 20 in the first innings and 42 not out in the second, besides taking seven wickets in the two. Other notable names in the Scotch team were those of Dan. Wilkie, D. Ogilvy (who took 13 wickets for about 50 runs), and J. Conway, who later on, while at Melbourne Grammar, played for as a school boy, and was afterwards manager of the first Australian team in 1878. Conway was an uncle of our Syd. Donahoo, who, in his turn, was picked to play for Victoria while still at school, uncle and nephew being the only ones to achieve this distinction.

The return match between Scotch College and Geelong Gram­ mar School was played on the M.CC ground on, 20th November, and was declared a draw, it having been arranged that the match should be drawn if not played out. The scores were:—Geelong Grammar School 41 and 85, Scotch College 53 and 22 for 7 wickets; Scotch College had 52 runs to get and only three wickets to fall. In their second innings George Tait took 4 wickets at apparently small cost. For Scotch, D. Ogilvy was again the chief bowler, but Macpherson, their champion batsman, had the misfortune to be knocked out by sunstroke owing to the; extreme heat of the day. Meanwhile, the day before Geelong Grammar School and had met for the first time. This game was also played on the M.CC ground. Melbourne Grammar School made 78 and 102; Geelong Grammar School 83 and 3 for 27. Geelong Grammar School claimed a win on the first innings by 5 runs; Melbourne Grammar School claimed a draw. A referee was then appointed, whose decision gave Geelong Gram­ mar School the match. These Schools did not meet aeain until 1875.

The first match between Melbourne Grammar School and Scotch College took place in the Richmond paddock on the 24th